Parenting Resources for the Crazy Times

27 Universal Truths to Live a Happy Life NOW!

This post may contain advertisements and/or links for products and services that I value. I offer recommendations to products and/or services that I find helpful in my own life as a mom. I may receive a commission based on viewer purchases or interactions with these ads. You will NOT be charged any extra money. All prices will stay the same for you whether your purchase items/services through links found on this site or not!

Life is wonderful, but hard. There’s so many bad, scary things out there- death, abuse, addiction, conflict, war, deceit, divorce, abandonment, and more.

How is a person to live happily in a troubled world?

Here are 27 tips to help you keep your chin up and find the beauty within the chaos.

1. Have gratitude.

When we focus on the bad things, we often forget about the amazing blessings all around us. If we stop to notice the good things in our life, we can be surprised by how much we have!

The first step to living a happy life is to realize that you already have it- you just need to appreciate it for what it is.

2. Put on a Smile!

Smiles make people feel happy. That’s not just me talking. Research has proven that smiling triggers endorphins to be released in your brain, causing you to be happier!

Ding Li shared on the British Council, “When our brain feels happy, endorphins are produced and neuronal signals are transmitted to your facial muscles to trigger a smile. This is the start of the positive feedback loop of happiness. When our smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating our reward system, and further increasing our level of happy hormones, or endorphins. In short, when our brain feels happy, we smile; when we smile, our brain feels happier.”

So smile, even if it’s fake. Since smiles spread like wildfire, you might help someone else feel happier too!

3. Love yourself.

Everyone has amazing qualities.

What are yours? Write them down, congratulate yourself for them, repeat your positive qualities to yourself often, and reward yourself when you develop new ones.

Be proud of who you are and who you are becoming.

4. Remember that other people’s opinions of you don’t matter.

We all know that we shouldn’t listen to peer pressure. That’s much easier said than done. The interesting thing is that these fears are usually our own construction. People usually aren’t actually thinking those things about us- we just think they’re thinking those things about us.

It’s our problem- not theirs.

Honestly letting go of those unnecessary cares lifts a burden from your shoulders. It makes your life feel free.

5. Live by the Golden Rule.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Being nice is important. A life full of malice, backstabbing, anger, and broken relationships isn’t fun. It’s just lonely and sad. Whatever people think they have to gain from being rude, it’s never as good as what they can lose.

Choose to be nice.

6. Hug your kids, your spouse, your friends, and your parents often.

People are all that matter in life.

Jobs come and go, houses eventually fall down, money can be lost. All that we can count on are the people that we value. Build those relationships by putting the people in your life first. Create memories together.

“Love is spelled TIME.” -Zig Ziglar

7. Live in the real world.

When you look back after one, or two, or three hours of TV/video games/cell phone use/social media, what did you gain from that time?

Did you learn something new? Did you connect with friends? Did you build yourself into a better person?

Sometimes technology can help us do those things, but sometimes it can distract us and be a huge time-waster. Pay attention in your own life so that you don’t miss out on quality experiences in exchange for an hour of Candy Crush or Angry Birds.

8. Stop being afraid.

Let yourself try something new, even if you’re no good at it at first. Don’t be afraid to put in the time and effort necessary to excel at a new skill.

9. Manage your finances using a budget.

Finances are an important part of our daily lives. They can cause enormous amounts of stress, or they can provide freedom and amazing opportunities.

Take control of your finances by using a budget in order to improve your quality of life.

10. Don’t spread yourself too thin.

Parents, this is especially a challenge for you.

You’ve got to take care of yourselves! You’re in charge of keeping your household running, your kids cared for, food on the table and money in the bank. If you drive yourself crazy because you never had a break, who’s going to do all that for your family? No one!

11. Grow what you have.

Watch for opportunities to invest. This could be money, but it could also be time savers, work opportunities, learning a new skill, or mastering a current skill.

Invest in yourself and invest in the stock market.

12. Be prepared for emergencies.

I’ve realized that everyone I know is going through something big. Constantly. I was surprised when I finally put that together. It seems like some people are cozy and happy and live a perfect life, but I just don’t know them well enough to know what their current challenge is.

So if life is constantly throwing curve balls our way, why don’t I prepare for them?

Have an emergency fund, have safety plans, have backup supplies. Be ready, because life’s struggles are constant.

13. Make your goals happen!

I have always appreciated a person who does what he says. Even when it’s just a personal commitment that doesn’t impact other people.

When you set goals, consider them a binding covenant with yourself to complete something you started.

14. Read.

Books are amazing. They are cheap fun, they help you see other perspectives, increase your vocabulary, they teach you new things, they build your memory skills, they encourage you to think critically, they teach moral principles.

In today’s world, you can even listen to audio books while you clean the house, nurse the baby, or eat dinner. Enjoy books to build yourself.

15. Learn something new.

I firmly believe that every bit of knowledge a person can gain will have some important use someday.

You never run out of storage space for more knowledge, it’s easily accessible online through blog posts like this one and YouTube… there are literally no downsides- knowledge can only help you. The world is at your fingertips!

Learn something new today!

16. Have a positive outlook on life.

Don’t give up on people who disappoint you. They’ll come around.

Don’t fret about the small things because there’s always more good than bad.

Don’t neglect the good things that are happening around you.

Do look forward to what’s coming next, because it will be an exciting adventure!

17. Smell the roses.

Live intentionally. Know what you’re about. Know what you like, what you dislike, what you want, what you are becoming.

Notice the small things around you that are part of daily life that bring you happiness. After all, they can only make you happy if you are paying attention.

18. Keep your body healthy.

Drink water, eat healthy (but allow yourself some treats), be active by going outside and playing with your kids, eat until you’re full and then stop eating.

Learn to listen to your body’s cues and respect them.

19. Don’t worry about keeping up with the newest and best.

The drive to be better can be consuming. It is a good thing to want to be better as a person, but it is unhealthy to focus on constantly upgrading things.

Life isn’t about things. Things don’t bring joy- people do. So get out of the rat race. Let go of the things.

Fix it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

20. Get out of the comfort zone.

Growth and achievement don’t happen in the comfort zone. They happen when you get uncomfortable, when things change, when life hurts, when you work hard.

21. Have fun without spending a ton of money.

There are so many ways to enjoy leisure without breaking the bank. I can hardly afford to go to the movies anymore. I pay $8 per person to get in, $12 for snacks, $10 for sodas, and now I’ve spent my play money for the whole month.

Learn to have fun right where you are, with the people who are always there, without any extra planning or preparation. Need some ideas? Click here!

22. Sleep!

Our bodies and minds need sleep. If we can’t function, how are we supposed to enjoy our day?

Take care of your sleep needs and you’ll feel happier and more efficient.

23. Have new experiences.

Sometimes, the hardest part of life is monotony. It can just drag on. You do the same thing day in and day out.

People need a little excitement! Switch it up for yourself by trying something new.

24. Organize your home, your schedule, and your life.

Just the opposite of monotony- People are creatures of habit. We like routine. Creating predictability can be comforting. We know what to expect, we feel secure.

Make a schedule for yourself, or a more organized home, or plan your week to give yourself more security.

25. Write down all the details of your amazing life!

Even if your life seems boring or routine to you, other people are going to want to know what you were all about. Especially your kids and grandkids.

People don’t journal anymore, but we should! It’s a way to be immortal, a way to be involved in your family for generations, a way to teach life lessons so others don’t have to learn them the hard way.

And it gives perspective to your life now. Instead of getting swallowed up in the day to day, writing in a journal reminds me of my end goals and refocuses me on how to get there.

26. Discuss important topics as a family.

Families should hold regular “meetings” with each other. This is an important time for

every individual to speak their mind,

discuss important topics that affect the family,

gather ideas to solve problems,

address the family’s needs, and

connect with each other.

Having regular family time like this will increase your family closeness.

27. Forgive.

Grudges weigh people down. They are unproductive, unnecessary baggage in an already difficult journey. Just get rid of them!

They aren’t helping you, or anyone else. It’s time to forgive.

These 27 tips are all things I have tried in my life, and they all work. Give them a try, and let us know how it goes in the comments below!

Sincerely,

Mrs. S

Share this post with all parents who want to be happy.

Please comment and “like” if you enjoyed this post!

Subscribe to my email list for weekly updates in the world of parenting! Nobody needs to do this alone- parenting is just too hard for that. Join a wonderful community and have access to exclusive resources!